Beetles
Beetles are a group of s that form the Coleoptera, in the superorder . Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, , distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 400,000 species, is the largest of all orders, constituting almost 40% of described insects and 25% of all known animal life-forms; new species are discovered frequently. The largest of all , the (weevils) with some 80,000 member species, belongs to this order. Found in almost every habitat except the sea and the s, they interact with their s in several ways: beetles often feed on plants and , break down animal and plant debris, and eat other s. Some species are serious agricultural pests, such as the , while others such as (ladybirds or ladybugs) eat s, s, , and other plant-sucking insects that damage crops. Beetles typically have a particularly hard including the , though some such as the have very short elytra while beetles have softer elytra. The general of a beetle is quite uniform and typical of insects, although there are several examples of novelty, such as adaptations in s which trap air bubbles under the elytra for use while diving. Beetles are , which means that they undergo complete , with a series of conspicuous and relatively abrupt changes in body structure between hatching and becoming adult after a relatively immobile l stage. Some, such as s, have a marked , the males possessing enormously enlarged which they use to fight other males. Many beetles are , with bright colours and patterns warning of their toxicity, while others are harmless of such insects. Many beetles, including those that live in sandy places, have effective . Beetles are prominent , from the of to art and use as s or for entertainment and gambling. Many beetle groups are brightly and attractively coloured making them objects of collection and decorative displays. Over 300 species are , mostly as e; species widely consumed include s and larvae. However, the major impact of beetles on human life is as agricultural, forestry, and horticultural . Serious pests include the of cotton, the , the , and the . Most beetles, however, do not cause economic damage and many, such as the s and s are beneficial by helping to control insect pests. This article the subgroups of the order Coleoptera ( s) down to the level of , following the system in "Family-group names in Coleoptera (Insecta)", Bouchard, et. al. (2011), with common names from bugguide.net. Phylogenetic tree 160mya (40) |2= 220mya (94) }} |label2= |sublabel2=''200mya'' |2= (5560) e.g. (diving beetles) |2= (35000) e.g. (ground beetles) }} }} |label2= |sublabel2=''225mya'' |2= (800) + (29) 200mya |2= 195mya (48000, rove beetles) |2= 145mya (35000, scarabs, stag beetles, etc) |2= (2800, water scavenger beetles) |2= (3800, clown beetles) }} }} }} |2= |sublabel1=''190mya'' |1= (70) |2= (180) |2= (14000, jewel beetles) |2= (400, pill and turtle beetles, etc) |2= (23000, click and soldier beetles, fireflies) }} }} }} }} |label2=''190mya'' |2= (3150, deathwatch, powderpost and skin beetles) |label2= |2= (6000, ladybirds or lady beetles) |2= 180mya (35000, leaf/flower beetles, etc) and |2= (9900, checkered beetles and allies) |2= (8000) |label2= |sublabel2=''170mya'' |2= |1= (35000, leaf beetles) |2= (25000, longhorn beetles) }} |2= (70000, weevils) }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} }} References Category:Tree of life